Brothers’ business aims for cooler Island homes

Terry Ogimi definitely is prepared for summer. A Kaneohe homeowner and construction manager, Ogimi purchased three QuietCool whole house fans in 2014. “I was looking for a cost-effective alternative to installing A/C units0 and the whole house fan was the best solution. Once they are turned on, houses are cooled in a matter of minutes,” Ogimi said.

The whole house fan works by drawing heat out of the living space of a home and blowing trapped hot air out of the attic. Controlled by a timer on the wall, it uses a fraction of the energy of A/C. Savings include a $75 Hawaii Energy rebate.

Ogimi’s system is one of more than 2,000 that have been distributed statewide by Island Cooling LLC, the recent winner of a Hawaii’s Best Award. With the company’s single-minded emphasis on efficient cooling, brothers and certified NAHB green professionals Ivan and Al Whitworth regularly are requested to give their input on system sizing, location and ventilation. “We review an average of eight homes each week,” said Ivan Whitworth. “In the summer months we may see that many homes in a day. Each home is unique, but we’ve developed solutions that help many homeowners who thought that their only choices were between being hot and running full-time air conditioning.”

Homeowners and companies in the building trades have taken notice. Island Cooling’s small workshop on Kapaa Quarry Road doubles as a training center where electricians can see the systems up close before venturing into an attic. “Quite a few builders include QuietCool as an option in their homes,” said Al. “This year, solar companies and other efficiency-minded folks are offering them to their customers as well.”

Owner of S. Tanaka Construction Ryan Tanaka has been including whole house fan systems in several of his clients’ homes, so when the time came to rebuild his parents’ home, naturally, QuietCool systems were a standard feature. “It’s extremely cost-effective with tremendous results,” Tanaka said. “It’s great to be able to keep the windows open while enjoying the natural air flow, and the feedback I receive from all my customers has been positive.”

Island Cooling LLC is Hawaii’s distributor of QuietCool whole house fans. In addition to larger units for whole home cooling, the company also has bedroom-sized units for home offices and bedrooms.